Sunday, June 26, 2011

Sunday Morning NASCAR TV Shows

We have three hours of NASCAR TV today before TNT's pre-race show. First up is NASCAR Now on ESPN2. Nicole Briscoe is hosting from the ESPN studios in Bristol, CT. In Sonoma at Infineon Raceway are reporters Marty Smith and Mike Massaro.

ESPN left Nationwide Series viewers in a lurch on Saturday after the race from Road America. Lots of issues were not sorted out and few drivers were interviewed before the network left for a playback of a rallycross show. It was a bad decision.

NASCAR Now needs to get right on top of those stories and clear-up the Nationwide Series issues. A late caution caused chaos as several cars passed the leader. It was never explained why there were no penalties, but Reed Sorenson was then called the winner of the race after the checkered flag. A single TV replay made all the difference.

Over on SPEED, there is two hours of NASCAR Raceday from Sonoma. Kyle Petty is working for TNT and Kenny Wallace raced in Wisconsin on Saturday. That means Darrell Waltrip and Hermie Sadler get a turn on the expert panel. John Roberts is hosting and Wendy Venturini is reporting. Also on today's show will be Rutledge Wood and Bob Dillner.

RaceDay changes with the personalities involved. Kyle Petty and Kenny Wallace bring one dynamic to the program, while Waltrip and Sadler bring another. Over the years this show has also featured Jimmy Spencer and Michael Waltrip in the featured analyst role.

Make no mistake about it, Venturini is the rock of this show. Her ability to flow through the garage area and handle virtually any type of interview and issue has made all the difference in the credibility of the program. The panelists may offer opinions, but she goes and gets the stories.

Two hours is a long time to fill and the NASCAR Media Group pulls out all the stops in producing the show. Interviews, features and news are mixed with the opinions of the two panelists in a format run by Roberts.

This post will serve to host your comments on the two NASCAR pre-race shows of Sunday morning. To add your opinion, just click on the comments button below. Thanks for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet.

16 comments:

I don't usually watch NASCAR Now, but since the race is in Cali and it's on later, I'm watching.

I was hoping to get some follow-up from the Nationwide race yesterday, especially interviews of those involved in the incident started by the #22. ESPN disappointed me yet again. How can they completely ignore that? How can the "powers that be" at ESPN be so clueless and disconnected from the NASCAR fan base?

I chose not to watch NN. Briscoe/Smith/Massaro leave me cold. Yes, the end of the NNS race Saturday was a travesty. SOMETHING needs to be done regarding G-W Checkers at a road course where each G-W attempt is 12 miles long. Watching Speed Center now. Danielle is a little nervous,but she is doing fine. Will have the mute button handy until today's race starts. All week, the 'experts' were all but engraving Marcos Ambrose's name on today's trophy. I must have seen a dozen references to his stalled car at the end of last year's fuel mileage race. Jamie in the #1 car blew up the assumption that the Road Racers would be on the Pole. JPM tried to explain it,but frankly, I have a hard time understanding him. I just hope that no one pulls a move like Villeneuve did yesterday. And yes, Wendy is on air now which reminds me of what a consistently good job she does. Should be a great race if we survive three hours of pre-rave drivel.

Wendy Venturini has lived and breathed racing for a long time.She rocks!Wish we had more like her in the Sport.Krista is a diamond too!LAST nights race broadcast was really elementary in it's presentation.What happened?Hope TNT get's it done right today.I love Sonoma, and I love Wine! LOLIt's my second year of not being there after many fun years of working that race!

Anthem .. what the h*** was thatHAIR ??? to remind folks that Nascar is still involved with thecountry folk big hair and and ...So bad - The Suits at Nascar shudgive a PUBLIC APOLOGY.. And be put on ANTHEM PROBATIONFOREVER... Whoever gave the greenlight to that HAIR ..should befirec before the race is over...mama mia